Devices and methods for measuring portal pressure

Abstract

A system for measuring a pressure in a vein includes a needle sized and shaped to be inserted through a working channel of an endoscope. The needle is extending longitudinally and including a channel extending longitudinally therethrough. The system also includes a pressure sensing device including a longitudinally extending body sized and shaped to be slidably inserted through the channel of the needle and a sensor mounted on a distal portion of the body and connected to a proximal portion of the pressure sensing device via a connection cable. The sensor is configured to detect information corresponding to a pressure of a flow of blood through a vein.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A system for measuring a pressure in a vein, comprising:
 a needle sized and shaped to be inserted through a working channel of an endoscope, the needle extending longitudinally and including a channel extending longitudinally therethrough; and   a pressure sensing device including a longitudinally extending body sized and shaped to be slidably inserted through the channel of the needle and a sensor mounted on a distal portion of the body and connected to a proximal portion of the pressure sensing device via a connection cable, the sensor configured to detect information corresponding to a pressure of a flow of blood through a vein.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the pressure sensing device is longitudinally movable relative to the needle between an insertion configuration, in which the sensor is covered via a portion of the needle, and a pressure sensing configuration, in which a distal end of the body of the pressure sensing device extends distally past a distal end of the needle to expose the sensor to a flow of fluid within the vein. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the distal end of the needle includes a sharp tip for piercing a wall of the portal vein and the distal end of the body of the pressure sensing device includes a blunted end so that, in the insertion configuration, the distal end of the body is positioned relative to the sharp tip of the needle to prevent the sharp tip from damaging the working channel of the endoscope. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the pressure sensing device is proximally movable relative to the needle so that the sharp tip is exposed to pierce a wall of the vein. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the distal end of the body of the pressure sensing device includes a sharp tip and the distal end of the needle is blunted so that, in the insertion configuration, the sharp tip of the pressure sensing device is housed within the channel of the needle, and, in the pressure sensing configuration, the pressure sensing device is moved distally relative the needle, exposing the sharp tip of the body to pierce a wall of the portal vein. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein, in the pressure sensing configuration, the distal end of the body is moved distally past the distal end of the needle via a predetermined distance, the pressure sensing device including fins coupled to the body so that the fins are movable between a first configuration, in which the fins are constrained toward an exterior surface of the body in the insertion configuration, and a second configuration, in which the fins are moved radially outward to engage a portion of the needle in the pressure sensing configuration. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising a stylet sized and shaped to be inserted through the channel of the needle, the stylet being longitudinally movable relative to the needle between an insertion configuration and a piercing configuration. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein a distal end of the stylet includes a sharp tip and a distal end of the needle is blunted so that, in the insertion configuration, the sharp tip of the stylet is housed within the channel of the needle and, in the piercing configuration, the sharp tip of the stylet is moved distally past the distal end of the needle. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein a distal end of the needle includes a sharp tip and a distal end of the stylet is blunted so that, in the insertion configuration, the distal end of the stylet is positioned relative to the distal end of the needle to prevent the sharp tip of the needle from damaging the working channel of the endoscope and, in the piercing configuration, the stylet is drawn proximally relative to the needle to expose the sharp tip of the needle for piercing a wall of the vein. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the sensor is mounted within a recess extending laterally into the body of the pressure sensing device along the distal portion thereof. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the body of the pressure sensing device includes a through hole extending laterally through the distal portion of the body so that a distal face of the sensor is exposed to a flow of fluid passing through the through hole. 
     
     
         27 . A device for measuring a pressure within a vein, comprising:
 a body extending longitudinally from a proximal end to a distal, the body sized and shaped to be inserted through one of a working channel of an endoscope and a channel of an endoscopic needle; and   a sensor is positioned on a distal portion of the body, the sensor connected to a proximal portion of the device via a cable connection, the sensor configured to detect information corresponding to a pressure of a flow of blood through a vein.   
     
     
         28 . The device of  claim 27 , further comprising a working channel extending longitudinally through the body. 
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein the sensor is movably relative to the body between a first configuration, in which a portion of the sensor occludes a distal opening of the working channel extending through the body, and a second configuration, in which the sensor is moved away from a central axis of the body so that a tool inserted through the working channel of the body has a clear path for insertion into the vein. 
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 27 , further comprising a cauterizing needle knife slidably housed within the body for creating a hole in a wall of the vein through which the body is insertable to measure the pressure of the vein. 
     
     
         31 . A method for measuring a pressure in a vein, comprising:
 inserting a needle through a working channel of an endoscope to a target area proximate a vein; and   piercing a wall of the vein and inserting a distal portion of a pressure sensing device into the vein to measure a pressure thereof, the pressure sensing device including a sensor mounted on the distal portion and connected to a proximal portion of the device via a connection cable.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the wall of the vein is pierced via one of a sharp tip of the needle, a sharp tip of a stylet slidably received within the needle, a sharp tip of the pressure sensing device, and a cauterizing needle knife of the pressure sensing device. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising inserting a tool through a working channel of the pressure sensing device and into the vein. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein inserting the tool includes moving the sensor from a first configuration, in which a portion of the sensor occludes a distal opening of the working channel extending through the body, and a second configuration, in which the sensor is moved away from a central axis of the body so that the tool has a clear path for insertion into the vein. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein, in a pressure sensing configuration, a distal end of the pressure sensing device extends distally from a distal end of the needle via a predetermined distance, the pressure sensing device including fins that are movable between a first configuration, in which the fins are constrained toward an exterior surface of the pressure sensing device via an interior surface of the channel of the needle, and a second configuration, in which the fins are moved radially outward to engage a portion of the needle in the pressure sensing configuration.